Hello all, I am new to the site and M/C in general. I don't have tons of time right now to dig through all the old threads, ( I promise I will get to it when I can) but I was hoping you fine people could give me some info/advice. I will be getting my first bike next year around Feb. (tax refund) and I have been told by numerous people to go with a honda shadow. While I do like the Phantom model, what I really want is a Sporty 883 or 1200. I am 5'8" 260ish and I have sat on enough bikes to know that anything beyond mid controls makes my lower back hurt just from sitting (never mind driving) on the bike. My question is: How reliable are the 07 and up sporties? Do they break down a lot or require a lot of upkeep compared to a shadow 750? It will be a daily driver to and from work, 40 mi. round trip, and for fun on the weekends. I need something dependable that won't break down constantly, I prefer the sporty but if I need to go shadow it will be a Phantom. Thanks in advance!

 

Gee, I wonder what everyone on this Harley-Davidson forum will recommend - the Sportster or the Shadow?!

 

Well the shadows are nice bikes. Plenty of power, good handling, pretty comfortable, and its a Honda so it will probably last forever.

That being said, the shortcomings are that it will probably be a little buzzy at freeway speeds. Fit and finish is good but not like a Harley. And it sounds like a pissed off tractor with pipes put on it.
The Sporty, I recommend the 1200. Plenty of power, handle just as good as the shadow, and just as comfortable.
I will give the Harley this. It reminds you that you are riding an American made v-twin. It shakes, it makes noises, it may even spit and pop at you if you lug it too much. But this is part of the reason to love your Harley. It has personality. Dare I say it, a little bit of soul.
Now you however may not like that. And that's cool. Who cares as long as you ride.
Buy if you are gonna drop your hard earned money on a bike, get what you want. Don't settle or you will regret it.
Buy what feels right to you, not your pocketbook. Even of it means waiting a little longer. You'll be glad you did.

 

I won't tell you what to get except to get what you want and can afford. My first real street bike was a Sportster because I always wanted a Sporty. My current bike is a Sporty because I really wanted a Sporty. I'm very satisfied with my choices and enjoy the bike tremendously.

Before you get any bike I would highly recommend doing the MSF course. That's just a given. Good luck.

 

I haven't ridden a Honda in 40 years, so my opinion on that is useless. My first Harley was an 87 Sporty 883. Even with a 4 speed and little power to speak of, I loved that bike.
You have lots of time between now and Feb. so get some test drives and see what you like.

 

Get what YOU want, what is comfortable for YOU, what YOU can afford. This is your first bike, if you are still riding in 2-3 years you will most likely be replacing it after you discover which bike you REALLY want.
Also take advantage of test/demo riding. This will give you an idea of how each bike feels.

 

As far as reliability, any modern bike is pretty darned reliable. At one point in time, Harleys were known for dripping oil and generally shaking apart, but a modern one is quite a nice bike. If you are driving daily to work,make sure you get something you are comfortable driving. I did that for many years and actually ran up 2 to 3 times the miles on the bike that I ran up the same year on the car, and we get snow here. The only time the car came out was when it was raining as I left home or there was snow on the road. A bike that makes you feel right to you makes all the difference in the world. It makes that commute enjoyable.

 

Your lower back probably hurts because you're carrying around way to much extra weight. Best advice I can give you is drop about 80 pounds because it will make riding any bike a lot easier on your body and you'll feel much better too.

 

 

If you aren't buying a bike till next February, you have plenty of time to search thru old threads.